Re: 9/12 FINALE! BP2 *West Coast Spoilers*

Originally Posted by Longhornfan

Did anyone on Twitter last night ask Blake or Holly about the rumor that the engagement ring that he gave Holly didn't cost him anything? I wonder if that was what ABC offered him and Holly in order to get them to agree to film the proposal - a free diamond engagement ring!!! I bet some of you good sleuthers out there can even come up with a picture of the ring and how much it is worth.

When I was watching last night, it appeared that Holly was taken off guard when CH started talking to Michael about her engagement to Blake. So, for that reason, I felt like Michael was getting blindsided. On the other hand, the engagement had already been leaked in the tabloids, so I do wonder how Michael had not heard about it prior to the finale. But, I don't know the timelines - like how close to the finale did ABC film the engagement? Was there time for that information to get to Michael before they filmed the finale?

My bigger question, though, would be for Blake? Why the rush? Why not date for a while afterwards and just let all the controversy die down? No matter how he defends the decision to televise the engagement to Holly, it was a slap in the face for Michael - who had clearly made his feelings for Holly known. Blake knew that Michael had unresolved feelings for Holly. In my opinion it would have been so much kinder if Blake had just waited until after BP had ended to pursue a relationship with Holly, but that didn't happen. So, now he will just have to deal with the consequences.

Here's what I know - generally from He Who Must Not Be Named! The proposal was filmed last Sunday (with the finale taping on Tuesday). The ring was paid for by the show - notice the wonderful Neil Lane placement when he opened the box. The story was sold to a tabloid - not sure which one, but it will be out this week with all the details, including the details on the ring. I'm sure Blake and Holly are in love, but the way it was done is a little tacky and cheap, in my opinion. Also, at least according to those involved with the shows (I want to say actually from Holly), after the proposal was filmed on Sunday, they secluded all the participants and took their cell phones. So it is definitely possible last Tuesday when the show filmed, Michael did not yet know about the engagement. I'm sure he knew Holly was moving to SC, because I think that rumor started a few weeks ago. But I don't think anything came out about the engagement until later last week - I know I saw People run the story on Wednesday or Thursday of last week - after the finale had taped. Hope this helps.

Re: 9/12 FINALE! BP2 *West Coast Spoilers*

I also heard that Blake was paid 25K to do the proposal...Poor Ames and Jackie...I just don't think he was feeling it and instead of leading her on he got out but why in the heck bring it up on national tv...poor Michael..gezzzzz..now ya'll know why I didn't watch this show is no longer about love but how much emotional abuse and humilation that they can heap on a person and to me that is just sick..just goes to show how sick the Fleissmonster is to get ratings and the fact that CH is willing to let him drag him into the gutter with him is just sad..I wonder how CH would feel if someone treated his daughter that way

Re: 9/12 FINALE! BP2 *West Coast Spoilers*

I stand by what I said last night in that Michael definitely didn't know. As others have mentioned, my guess is that Blake got in touch with TPTB for a hookup on a sweet ring and they helped him out with the condition that it be filmed AND kept from Michael. I'm sure it would've been easy to keep Holly in the dark - all they had to say was they were doing a followup on Blake & Holly's relationship for the finale. And if she asked to tell Michael, I'm sure Blake could've told her we'll talk to him after the show or something like that.

The show needed to do this b/c they knew there'd be no chance Michael wouldn't split the money with Holly. [Heck, M & H said they'd even talked about it 2 weeks prior.] So throw a curveball at him in the way of a surprise engagement between B & H. They get his reaction on film AND they get to throw some doubt into whether or not he'd share the money with Holly. THAT was the only way for any doubt between that partnership.

As far as tabloids running with the story and Michael knowing - the only person who came out with it was RS last week and People magazine later the following day. Since RS has done pieces with People before, my guess is they let him break the news and he gave them all the details for their website. No one else ran with it. And by then, Michael had already found out b/c taping had already taken place.

I think I should thank TPTB for taking this new direction and becoming even sleazier than I'd previously known. They're helping me in my ability to walk away from the franchise. It was much easier last season b/c I didn't care for Ashley and now I care even less for Ben, so it looks like I don't have to juggle shows around any more b/c of timing conflicts. Hooray!

Re: 9/12 FINALE! BP2 *West Coast Spoilers*

I agree to your last comment 100%. For the same reason they took Michelle and Graham to the finals over Kasey and Vienna - that is who Michael is, and who he is is worth more to him than $250k.

Regardless of what Michael and Holly said, Michele and Graham were the weaker couple. Michael and Holly understood that facing Kasey and Vienna was exactly what they didn't want to do if they really wanted the $250k.

Re: 9/12 FINALE! BP2 *West Coast Spoilers*

Here's an article from Michael and Holly about what went down last night - I apologize to mods if it should be in his thread.

Bachelor Pad's Michael: 'I Was Humiliated' by The Finale Surprise

Michael Stagliano may have won Bachelor Pad with his former fiancée Holly Durst, but the finale proved to be as complicated as it was celebratory.

Before their victory was announced, the entrepreneur, 27, found out on camera that aspiring author Durst, 28, was newly engaged to fellow contestant Blake Julian.

Still recovering from the shock they'd heard only an hour before, they spoke with PEOPLE exclusively at the finale's taping last week in their hometown of Los Angeles.

Before you won, Chris Harrison dropped the bomb about Holly's engagement to Blake.

Holly: I was really upset. Last night, I called to tell him, but they'd already taken his phone. I was thinking, "Well, at least I will be able to tell him before the show so he isn't blindsided." But I wasn't allowed to speak to him prior to walking out on stage. As soon as I sat down, I whispered that I needed to talk badly and then the bomb was dropped almost immediately. He was blindsided. That was the lowest thing they could have done for ratings.

Michael: I was caught off guard, humiliated. I know neither Holly nor Blake wanted it to go down like that. I'm now even more thankful for the talk we had two weeks ago, which provided closure I didn't have before. If we hadn't had that that, it would have been so much worse tonight. I might have just walked off stage

....

Are you happy for Holly?

Michael: Absolutely. We were engaged and therefore I will always care about and love her so it makes me happy when she is happy. I wish we could have been happy together but we're always going to care about and love each other. I have no reason to be mad at Holly or Blake. You can't help who you fall for.

Holly: If we had walked out there hating each other, I don't think we would have gotten as many votes. He's the best guy and I can't wait for him to find the right girl.
Michael: And now I have some money to go on a few first dates.